Hate is Another Word for Friendship
by StayGawldPonyboy
Summary: Subject 16 meets a teenager in the Black Room, known in Abstergo as Subject 14. She's aloof and rude but after a lot of bugging and annoyance, the two seem to form a bond. OC, series of one-shots, friendship-ish.
1. How'd You Get Here?

**Why can I never submit something with more than 900 words? I have issues getting past that mark, man. Anywho, here's something about my present day, dead 14 year old OC stuck in the Black Room with Subject 16. What happens, you ask? Read to find out, lazy.**

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><p>"How'd ya get here, kid?"<p>

Jordan scoffed and continued waking on the lone island of the Black Room. Lifeless green eyes searched the premises as they had many times before, ignoring the man behind her about to probe the same question. She held up her hand and turned her head ever so slightly. Just enough for her eyes, now with a glint of anger, to meet his.

"I'm not answering your question."

16 watched the fourteen year old walk away. He wasn't content with that answer. Pfft, the last time he had interacted with a teenager, they weren't as aloof and rude as she was. Well, they did know him as a cousin so it was a bit different. Nevertheless, she should respect those older than her. He huffed, making a mocking face before following her.

Jordan sighed inwardly, rolling her eyes. _Here he comes again_. Her mind alerted her body of his presence. She had been around 16 for a long while now, maybe a few weeks. They didn't talk and kept their distance from each other until now. She guessed he was getting tired of being so quiet all this time and decided to bug her. Jordan was never one to tolerate being annoyed, especially by someone twice her age who should be more mature.

"C'mon, kid, it ain't that hard to answer a question that simple, eh?"

"If I answer you, will you shut up?" She crossed her arms, puffing out her cheeks in frustration before allowing the air to escape her lips.

"I can't make promises, kid, but I'll try,"

Jordan found a nearby piece of protruding rock and took an uncomfortable seat. 16 stood nearby, ready to listen as best he could.

Jordan cleared her throat and said very simply, "I'm dead."

"Ha ha, very funny! Seriously, kid, how'd you get here?"

"The exact same way you did but, differently too." Jordan rubbed her arm, trying to think of a good way to explain this. "I died on the Animus, still strapped in, you know? From what I've figured out in the months I've been here, apparently an AI version of my personality or somethin' got stuck here. I dunno, it's complicated."

16 nodded. She was still a kid. Of course all of this was going to be confusing and complicated. Besides, he couldn't think of a witty remark for what she said.

"You're an Assassin, right?" Jordan asked, resting her fidgeting hands on her legs.

"Born and raised." 16 grinned. "And you?"

Jordan shrugged. "Sorta."

She knew her mother was an Assassin but from her observations, her father had no clue. Jordan had gone through minor training sessions, mostly about throwing punches, blocking and evading. She had no clue how or what the Assassins were supposed to do. She died too young to understand completely.

Jordan suddenly felt her heart drop to the pits of her stomach. Her parents. Her brothers. What did they think happened? Did they know what happened to her? She desperately grabbed at the fabric of her jeans in a manic way, fingers curling and straightening. What if they found her body? Did Abstergo dump it on the side of the road after they were through?

"Hey!" 16 snapped his fingers in her face, seemingly snapping her out of it. "Goin' a bit loopy there aren't we?" He twirled his finger at the side of his head, deeming Jordan as insane as he was.

Jordan stuck her tongue out at him, arms crossed in defiance. 16 shook his head. He wasn't about to get into a immaturity fight with a teenager. Despite his maniacal mind, he knew better than that.

"I should-! I just- Ugh." Jordan couldn't believe she was about to say this but, here goes. "I miss my parents."

16 blinked. He wasn't expecting that. "Well, kid, they probably miss ya too. Sorry to break it to ya and possibly tear your little, itty bitty cold heart into shreds but you're dead. Nothin's gonna bring you back."

Jordan rolled her eyes. She knew she shouldn't have said it. She knew he would make some sort of snide remark but..He was right. Nothing was going to bring her back to the life she once took for granted. It was impossible, especially trapped in this place she deemed 'The Emptiness'. 16 had made clear to her the first time they met that it was called The Black Room but she insisted on keeping her name for it.

"Guess you're right." She admitted. "By the way, um, I'm Jordan."

"I already knew that but, nice to meet ya Jordan. You didn't catch my name did ya?"

Jordan glared. "No." She replied bluntly.

16 proudly placed a hand on his chest and declared his name with such pride. "Clay Kaczmarek in your inadequate presence."

"Ha ha, I bow down to you, your highness." Jordan jumped down from her seat and curtsied mockingly.

16 laughed. He was starting to like this kid.

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><p><strong>Reviews make me happy :) Tell me what you liked, what you didn't like. Did I keep 16 in character? Is there something you think should be changed? Constructive criticism is extremely appreciated!<strong>


	2. Do You Have Any?

**Second one-shot/drabble to this. I gave a lot of info on Jordan in this one. She's not always this depressed by the way. I'll make her happy in the next one :) Also, I know the regrets talk happened between 16 & Desmond. I liked it so I figured I should add it in here :P ENJOY!**

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><p>Jordan stared at the dark sky devoid of clouds and life. Her eyes, once empty of emotion, darted up and down, left to right. They stung and Jordan wiped the fabric of her purple sweater sleeve over them. She was nothing but a recreation of her personality inside the Animus. Her body was probably being eaten from the inside out by worms and maggots already. It was hard to believe that she was dead. Hard to believe that she could never see her friends and family again.<p>

Clay watched from afar, arms crossed over his chest. This kid was unbelievable. She acted as if she was the last Coke in the desert, the only candle on the cake when she was around him. Yet, she was so silent by herself, so depressing. She had a reason, didn't she? Being kidnapped and used for information at such a young and promising age must have been traumatizing when she was alive. Clay didn't know how she died, but he intended to find out. Walking oh so nonchalantly to the tall piece of stone Jordan was situated on, he whistled 'Yankee Doodle' until she finally noticed him.

"W-What d'ya want?" Jordan kept her eyes averted from him, reaching to wipe them every couple of seconds.

"Oh, y'know, just wondering 'bout how life was like for ya."

"Creeper."

"Kid, I said I was curious not hellbent on being your stalker."

Jordan scoffed, bringing her knees to her chest. Clay saw that she had gotten back to the habit of grabbing and ripping her jeans again as he noticed the wrinkling of her sweater sleeves. Jordan couldn't help it. Her fingers twitched, fingernails scratching her jeans. She drew in a big breath and sighed loudly. Clay smiled maniacally and awaited her answer.

"I had it good." She began. "Both parents, great friends, amazing grades. I took it all for-"

"Granted. Just like every other kid your age. I know I was like that." He stated proudly.

Jordan rolled her eyes. "Right. Continuing."

"I'm listening."

"Uh huh. Mom was an Assassin, I know that. Dad...Well, he didn't seem to have a clue. I got a little bit of training done before, um, Abstergo took me."

"Kidnapped."

"Come again?"

"They didn't take you. If they simply "took" you, it would've been less violent. I'm guessing that by those bruises, they didn't care about your age and knocked you out by force."

Jordan blinked and Clay continued to smile insanely. She could almost feel the batons the people that "kidnapped" her collide with her skin again. The bruises on her arms now pulsed with a painful beat. She shut her eyes, trying to rid herself of the memory. Clay's smile faded.

"After that I, well, I just tried to make it out. I thought cooperating would get me out. I was stupid to believe that. Agreeing to the crap that Abstergo's pulling off got me here."

Clay understood. Without even needing her words to back it up, he knew she was taught that cooperation would get her places. He nodded, raising his hand as if to pat her on the back but quickly shoving it back in his pocket. Jordan went back to staring at the sky, lost in her own thoughts again.

"Regrets," Clay caught Jordan's attention again. "Do you have any?"

Oh, so many came to Jordan's mind. Going out by herself the night she got kidnapped, ignoring her parents when it regarded her safety and treating the wonderful friends she had like trash. One stuck out though. She swallowed the lump in her throat.

"I regret ever fighting against them when I was strapped into the Animus. I would've died peacefully if I didn't."

Clay nodded and shook her shoulder gently. "Thanks, kid." He began to walk away.

"Hey, aren't ya gonna tell me anythin' about yourself?" She shouted as she turned to face his direction, disappointed that he got everything out of her and she got nothing from him.

"Nope!" He declared cheerily, continuing to walk down toward the Sync Nexus.

Jordan pouted. "Unfair." She whispered.

"Nothing's fair in life, kiddo!"

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><p><strong>I hope you liked! Review please &amp; Constructive Criticism is encouraged!<strong>


	3. Arguing Eventually Leads to Forgiveness

**THIRD CHAPTER~ I love this one. Dunno why, I just love it :) Enjoy!**

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><p>Normal. Everything felt normal. There was no breeze but a slight darkness as the weather simulations in the Black Room took place. No rain would pour nor would snow lightly fall on the ground. It was no longer sunny and windy, the smell of salt from the nearby beach already drowned out by the scent of grass and air. Jordan drew in a big breath, inhaling the wonderful and familiar fragrance. Her dainty hands rested comfortably on her lap where she had neatly folded and placed her faded purple sweater. She was finally left alone, at last left to her own devices.<p>

It was rare when Clay left her alone. He kept a constant vigil over her, making sure she wasn't having another manic attack. Jordan, being inexperienced in the health department, didn't know about her condition. It was something that, when Clay explained it in perfect detail, went in one ear and out the other. She wouldn't believe it. She wasn't mentally ill. She probably had those ticks since before she was captured but she never noticed. Sighing, the teenager swept her untied hair away from her face. She had let it down earlier, allowing the dyed locks to enjoy the air.

She wouldn't admit it openly but she was sincerely bored. No longer having the television placed too high on her wall that gave off a bit too much glare whenever she kept her window open or the game system already halfway broken by her older brother to keep her entertained caused her to pluck the blades of grass, inspecting them before throwing them behind her. There were some that occasionally had an interesting dew drop that alternated where it wanted to reside at the slightest tilt of the blade of grass. Jordan would've never noticed that back home in New York where everything was surrounded by skyscrapers and shopping centers. Not once in her short-lived life had she seen so much nature, so much green. The Black Room was really her only way to see the green areas of the world.

"Having fun?"

Clay grinned as Jordan gazed at him with the eyes of a deer in headlights. As always, he was one to show up with flare. Jordan narrowed her eyes and tried to push him. Huffing when he didn't even take a small step back, the teenager crossed her arms. Saying he frustrated her was the understatement of the decade. It was constant teases and strange sayings that Jordan, despite her intelligence, was never able to figure out. He was exactly like her older brother, the person Jordan led herself to believe she despised the most. Smiling with his eyes, Clay ruffled Jordan's hair before taking a seat beside her.

"What do you want?" She asked, annoyance burning in her eyes.

"I can't just sit and take a break from distracting the Animus software?" He answered with his own question, his grin reminding Jordan of a certain cat that showed up mysteriously to Alice in her adventures in Wonderland.

"Yeah, sure."

"What's got your panties in a double knot?"

Jordan's cheeks blazed scarlet along with the tips of her ears. She was never able to hear that saying without embarrassment settling in her mind. She shook her head.

"N-Nothin'."

"Riiight. You've always got somethin' going on in that coconut of yours. What is it now?"

"I told you, nothing."

"Okay, playing hard to get. Lemme guess. Parents? No? Okay. Friends?"

"Shut up."

Clay clapped in his accomplishment. He had hit a nerve and boy was he glad to. Grinning, he placed an arm around his pint sized friend. Jordan gave him a strange look along the lines of "If you don't get yourself away from me, I will bite your face off". He only continued to smirk and hold himself up on his accomplishment pedestal. Jordan sighed.

"Tell me about your problems."

"Weirdo."

"I'm only as weird as you are, kid. Besides, I've told you a billion times. You're dead. You'll never see them again. **Ever**."

Jordan swallowed the lump in her throat. Her nervous ticks began again, fingers curling. Her lip quivered unnoticeably to the normal human eye but Clay caught it very easily. He patted her back, unsure of what to do.

"Thanks." She said sarcastically, standing up and walking away angrily.

Clay sighed. This kid was unnaturally bi-polar. Perhaps a side-effect of the Mania, perhaps not. Out of sheer curiosity, he followed her. She reached the tall stone at the area she had labeled as her place of concentration. He watched as she struggled to climb to the top, her seat and sat there, cross-legged and hunched over in spite.

"Well then." Clay mumbled. "Be a tiny bitch."

"I heard that!" Jordan's breaking tone broke the temporary silence as she pointing an angry finger toward Clay's direction.

"I'm just statin' the truth. C'mon kid, you're pretty much the only entertainment I got here. Depressive Desmond isn't as much fun as he used to be."

Jordan faced him, arms crossed on her chest. "Maybe if you were nicer-"

"I'm nice to those who are nice to me. Which you're not."

"I can if I wanna."

"Well, why don't we start now?" He cleared his throat and definitely could not believe he was going to say this. "I'm sorry."

Jordan leaped ungracefully from her spot on the tall stone, holding her hand in the other as she reluctantly walked toward him. When she finally reached the spot a foot in front of him, she glared into his teasing eyes. She hugged him. Clay blinked in confusion, raising an eyebrow at her strange behavior.

"I accept your apology,"

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><p><strong>Reviews make me so happy, especially if they're positive! <strong>


	4. The Only Exception

****BAD LANGUAGE AHEAD** Just putting that out there. Spent quite a long time on this so I'm pretty satisfied. I hope you enjoy!**

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><p>Pathetic.<p>

Tears hit the grass.

She was pathetic to even look at.

Jordan gasped, rubbing her knuckles gently on the tender skin of her cheeks. Olive green eyes were filled to the brim with tears, smearing the light amount of mascara on her chesnut-colored eyelashes.

_"Let me out! Let me out!"_

_Those were the only words that would come to her fragile mind._

_Those begging words, she hoped, would get her out of there._

_She kept fighting back, kicking and punching, biting and scratching, until without warning, her body tumbled back onto the Animus in a crumpled heap. Her arms would no longer work, falling similarly to a rag doll that had been thrown across the room. The pain in her abdomen grew stronger, as did the extreme migraine. The hands released her body and all she could feel was the cold. She was wearing a sweater, a thick one at that, and it felt like the room was below zero in temperature. Her body shivered, curling up involuntarily._

_All they did was watch._

_She couldn't feel a thing. She couldn't process what they were saying, what they were doing. Her breathing became shallow and taken in short breaths. One last breath. One last gaze at the darkness of the skyscraper. One last silent goodbye to the evil people surrounding her. They could hurt her no more._

Fuck.

Fuck it all.

Gritting her teeth and sliding her tongue on the roof of her mouth, she felt the angry tears flow like a river. The depression left her Animus generated body as soon as it came and was quickly engulfed by fury. She wanted to throw a tantrum; stomp her feet, toss things across the island and just simply scream until her vocal chords could no longer handle it. He watched. Arms crossed with a sad, maniacal smile. She needed this. Keeping her emotions bottled up would only allow her to burst like a balloon filled with too much helium. Having these mood swings would only bring her closure.

"I-If you're gonna wa-watch-!" Jordan sobbed, hiding her face in her hands before she could finish her insult.

Clay didn't say a thing, refraining from retorting with a witty remark. She was a kid. A teenager. She had a whole life ahead of her, full of good decisions and amazing achievements to be reached. It was cut short before she could show her absolute potential as a human being. She didn't deserve to be pushed around any further. She didn't need the constant teasing from him. Sighing as his smile faded, he sat beside her, feeling a bit awkward. It wasn't everyday that he made someone feel better.

"Hey," He nudged her gently on the arm. "Don't cry. You look like a pussy."

Jordan sniffed and raised her head. Eyes red and cheeks littered with dry tears, she gave Clay a quick glance. She wiped her cheek with the pad of her fingers.

"G-gee, thanks." She blinked to prevent anymore tears.

"Okay, maybe I have to re-think that." Clay glared at the gray sky, chewing on his tongue as he tried and tried to pop up with an extremely kind way to help. Yeah, being that nice wasn't his thing. Not even close. "Y'know, some guy once said that you should never frown. Someone else could be falling in love with your smile."

"B-but-," Jordan stopped herself, sighing. The tears welled up again. "I.. You like my smile?" She asked innocently, eyes darting to try and locate any body language that hinted if he did.

"I never said I did. But, hey, whatever floats your boat."

She hit him in the arm with a backhand slap, taking in a sharp breath. She hated that. Always, after she cried, those sharp breaths would come until after fifteen minutes. She found it strange, why her body did that. Clay grinned and ruffled the teen's hair. Jordan laughed. He was a friend, no longer a major enemy. He was beginning to seem like a nice guy. However, Jordan figured he would never act like this around others.

"There's that adorable smile of yours!"

"Ha!" She poked his cheek and crossed her arms in success, another sharp breath coming. "I knew you liked my smile."

She was the only exception.

"Tell Desmond and I'll delete you."

Jordan grinned, whistling innocently as she stood up. Clay glared.

"Oh Desmond!~" She sang as she skipped away.

Yeah, the only exception AFTER Clay was done deleting her sorry ass.

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><p><strong>REVIEW PLEASE :)<strong>


	5. Bleeding Effect

**Hngh, so much work put into this thing! Whooo, so glad I finally got it uploaded! *Bad language ahead!***

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><p>Days went by in the blink of an eye. Nights were restless as she tossed and turned in the grass. Jordan was beginning to look like a raccoon, what with the dark circles underneath her eyes. They were an olive green, her eyes, full of emotion whether it be happiness or anger. She had come a long way since her cold, unfeeling days. She was exhausted, rubbing her eyes as she waited for Desmond to be thrown out of the Sync Nexus to rest himself. The wind blew in her face, sending the loose strands of her hair to collide with her cheeks. She was too tired to move them away and stared into the distance. There was nothing to be seen, nothing to be talked about. Clay was nowhere to be found as usual. Jordan wouldn't admit it but, she liked the times when they talked. It gave her a sense of security in some strange, insane way but surely, there was something about the man that ticked her off to no extent. She could <strong>not<strong> spare a single blink without the madman suddenly appearing before her. He had done it numerous times before to get on her nerves and it worked perfectly. Jordan struggled to keep her eyes open until-

"Fuck!" Tumbling backwards out of her seat on the slightly elevated rock, Jordan huffed in frustration. He did it **again.**

"Why are always so easily surprised, huh? You're like a...a cat! Yeah, you freak the fuck out every- diddly do da- time I show up." Clay held out a hand, grinning again.

Jordan glared, rejecting his hand and pulling herself to her feet on her own. She had hit her head hard on the ground as it was now pounding. She winced, rubbing the welt on the side of her head. She was going to find Clay one night and silently delete his existence from the Animus, she could swear her dead body on it. The older man rolled his eyes as he shoved his hands back in his pockets. He was never going to hear the end of it. It was always incessant nagging with her. _Go distract the software, go apologize to Desmond, go splatter your blood on the walls over there, _or_ go away_ was really all Clay ever heard. He wasn't one to get butt hurt over something like a kid's saying but bringing up his suicide was something that just made a fire burn in his chest. It was like she was making fun of him. It was as if she had gotten less respectful after their little truce. When Jordan's mouth didn't move and her childish tone of voice didn't scream profanities at him, Clay raised an eyebrow. If she wasn't shouting, it meant that either she had cut off her tongue or something was definitely wrong.

"Ow," Jordan removed her hand from her head, eyeing her fingers. They were the same fair color they were before. Good. It meant she hadn't busted her head open. She cleared her throat. Now was when she was able to yell. "You owe me a good damn apology, you mother- Hmph!"

Clay didn't feel like listening to her voice anymore. Jordan tried every trick she knew to getting his hand off of her mouth; licking the palm, biting, and trying to pry it off with her hands. Nothing worked. He didn't seem to care about anything she did to him. Jordan noticed that his eyes were no longer focusing on her, not that she was complaining, but on the ground. Dropping her shoulders, Jordan gave up. She couldn't remove his hand and definitely couldn't figure out why he was focusing so much on the grass. She didn't expect anything else to happen until the hand was removed from her mouth and gripped her arm. Before Jordan had a chance to ask why, Clay asked a question that she didn't expect one bit.

"What was the longest time you were left in the Animus?"

"What?" She blinked, staring at the man in pure confusion.

"I know you heard me loud and clear, kid. Just answer the damn question."

Jordan thought back. She knew the last time she had been in the Animus was the longest but, how long was it? A few days, maybe a week? Argh, she couldn't remember! So many memories were scattered in her brain. She could only remember small glimpses from when she was alive. Clay wouldn't take his eyes away from hers. Jordan never liked the feeling of two pairs of eyes meeting. Averting hers, she shrugged.

"I dunno." She shook her head. "A few days, I guess?"

"Huh.. How long were the hallucinations you had?"

Why was he asking her this now? How was it important and why? Jordan, again, shrugged. She wasn't Lucy or Vidic. She never kept track of any of her hallucinations. She simply thought they would go away, like Lucy had told her. Why didn't they? _Focus_, Jordan told herself. Digging deep in her mind, she managed to extract the last time she hallucinated. It was like a movie playing in her head.

_"Leave, Zaphira. You have caused nothing but trouble."_

_"But, Altair-!"_

_The hooded man held up a gloved hand, ring finger missing in action. He shook his head slowly. Zaphira bit her lip, sighing a few seconds after. She had tried. She had gotten this far and it was all for nothing. Altair watched her walk away, head held down as his hands were held in a praying position. Civilians paid him no mind, believing him to be a Scholar. _

_Jordan watched in fear, cowering on the bed nearby. She had watched this before, in the Animus, but they didn't look like this. Altair and Zaphira glowed, like ghosts in the darkness. She couldn't sleep that night for the fear of them returning. Instead, she rested against the nearby wall with the lights turned on, mumbling to herself._

"Five minutes. Maybe more. I-I can't really.." She finally answered. "Are you..okay? You seem a little out of it. Scratch that, a lot out of it."

Clay shook his head, laughing. Patting Jordan's head, he released his grip on her arm. The teen rubbed the imprint of his fingers on her skin, watching as he continued to smile. She still wondered why he asked her about what happened. Clay leaned on a tall stone behind him, hands shoved back into jean pockets again.

"It's weird, y'know." He began. "You had all of these **really, really **long Animus sessions and hallucinations. It's a wonder that you lasted so long before becoming completely fucking loopy."

Jordan laughed. "Remember that I was a bit more sane than you were when I first got to Abstergo."

"Oh, now you wanna compare insanity?"

Clay and Jordan began their short trek back to the Sync Nexus where Desmond awaited, taking their time. There was no rush so why bother?

"You're gonna win!" Jordan exclaimed, smiling wide.

"Pfft. The only thing I'd ever win is a sexy contest."

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><p><strong>BAH, I LOVED WRITING THIS. RANDOM BLEEDING EFFECT TALK IS RANDOM.<strong>


	6. Wandering Equals Deletion

He didn't move. Even a slap to the side didn't wake him up. Jordan sighed and kicked his unconscious body, groaning when he didn't even twitch. The grass, dry from the new weather program the Animus kicked in, crunched under Jordan's sneakers. Her arms hung limp against the side of her body as she paced back and forth. Clay followed her movements, sitting from a nearby stone and tapping his fingertips together. He wondered why the kid was so bored now compared to other times when she should've dropped dead, again.

"What the hell just happened?"

"Um..." Jordan swiped her bracelets up and down her arm in a sort of nervous way. She looked over at Clay, who nodded.

"You were snooping." The former Subject 16 leaned in toward Desmond before leaning back, his voice becoming much lower and darker. "Wandering outside the Desmond Partition."

"See, when the Animus found you, it pulled ya back here." Jordan took Desmond's hand and helped him stand. "It works like a... an anti-virus thingy?"

"A fail-safe program." Clay corrected, placing his hand on Jordan's head when he stood up. "Trying to keep your poor head intact, whether you like it or not."

Desmond raised an eyebrow. He wasn't very knowledgeable about technology, especially about the Animus. Jordan obviously didn't know much either but she was trying, at least, to understand. She was on the same boat as Desmond. It was as if talking about reptiles to a mammal specialist. Clay yawned, stretching his arms as he took a step toward Desmond. Jordan watched, blinking steadily to make sure she didn't miss anything.

"What are you doing here, exactly?"

Jordan didn't know if he had directed the question to her, Clay, or the both of them. She opened her mouth to answer but was quickly shut up when her long-time Animus buddy answered.

"Playing. Learning." He listed, turning toward the Nexus. "Waiting," He looked back to Desmond. "A lot of waiting. I keep the Animus distracted the best I can, for you, so you can explore."

"It'll hunt you down," Jordan butted into the conversation. "Like one of those viruses and you'll be deleted."

Desmond chuckled. "My Guardian Angels, eh?"

A frown. A sarcastic roll of the eyes.

"There's no such thing." Jordan and Clay said in unison, the girl looking down at the grass and the man shaking his head.

"Eh, right," The two went their own ways before Desmond could answer. "Thanks." He mumbled to himself.

"Do you think we'll get deleted?"

Clay scoffed. Jordan was starting those nervous ticks again after they had been dormant for so long. Why did she have to bother him now, when he was distracting the software? It was harder than it looked, having to jump in and out of files the Animus didn't want him in and evading deletion. It wasn't a problem anymore as he was a technology wiz and knew anything and everything there was to the Animus.

"Can you just, calm down, please?" He gave her a gentle noogie, looking down at her. "You don't wander, do you?"

"Um, no..." Jordan tried to fix her hair but without a proper mirror, it was useless.

"Then no problem. If anything, I'll be the one getting deleted here."

"Wha?"

Jordan's lip began to quiver. Cursing loudly and mentally beating himself, Clay suddenly realized she had gotten attached. Despite his sarcastic and snarky attitude, she liked to be around him. He never said anything but countless times, she had followed him around Animus Island and the Black Room. Not that he minded. It meant that Jordan had learned to trust him, to finally care for someone other than herself.

"Not that it's gonna happen, of course!" He grinned, trying to cheer her up. He wasn't about to let her fall back into the abyss of depression. "I'm smart enough not to get myself deleted, alright? Trust me."

"But what if you do?" Jordan hugged him, shutting her eyes tight.

If Clay didn't spend so much time with the kid, he would've pried her grubby little hands off of his favorite jacket. But he had grown attached to her as well. They shared similar stories of trying to be independent, desperate to escape Abstergo and how the Bleeding Effect changed them. She was like the daughter or sister he never wanted to have.

"Like I said; Trust me." He patted her back. "If I was a fan of mushy moments like this, I would let you hug me longer but, since I'm not... Kindly let go, will ya?"

Jordan didn't answer and kept her arms around him. She wasn't about lose everything she had gotten attached to again. It would be too much to lose something as important as the person that kept her going. Clay, despite his horribly snide attitude, had some good in him. He relayed that to her, comforting Jordan in the only ways he knew. Clay rolled his eyes. Yes, he appreciated the love and comfort but no, he didn't want her literally clinging to him forever. He liked their relationship the way it was; Distant but ready to come together at any moment.

"C'mon, kid, I'm not much of a hugger."

"Five more minutes. I need ta savor this."

"Is that an insult?"

Jordan shook her head, her cheek rubbing against the warm fabric of his shirt. "Nah, we just don't have enough of these brother-sister, movie moments."


	7. Through Your Fear and Sorrow

Death was not a happy subject, whether it was bestowed upon a good friend or a heavily hated enemy. Tears often fell to the grass, slipping down the blades like a new drop of dew. Not today. Those signs of weakness were going to be kept bottled up. Crying was no longer a way out of a problem. She was going to keep her head up.

And **smile**.

Clay's hazel eyes followed Jordan's path, noticing the grin on her young and delicate features. Her dark green irises were glassy, ready to erupt into tears. Clay waited for her to drop to her knees, bury her face in the palms of her hand and sob loudly. Jordan continued to pace and nothing changed except for the way the wind blew across their faces. Clay was surprised. Jordan was usually too emotional to handle and now with hearing of Lucy's death...

He expected her to just tumble in a heap and **never** get up again, expecting his love and support.

"So, nice weather, eh?"

Clay blinked once and raised an eyebrow. What a sudden question that was completely irrelevant to everything happening at the moment. He figured it was Jordan's new way of coping. Change the subject, talk long enough about it, and just forget. He wasn't sure how it would work though as Jordan tended to linger on things of the past. Shrugging, he went along with it.

"Yeah," He rubbed his neck awkwardly. "It's great."

"Way better than the deat- I mean, snow!"

Jordan laughed nervously, scratching at a tender spot in her arm. Clay didn't respond, just kept his eyes on her arm. She was trying to get rid of invisible parasites. The skin, naturally a mixture of fair and pale, was now red and miniscule dots of blood littered the deep scratches. A nervous tick that Jordan had. Clay frowned and grabbed the girl's hand to keep her from causing further damage.

"Hey," He loosened his grip. "Relax. Keep scratchin' and you'll like ya got fleas."

Jordan's smile faded. Clay knew she couldn't keep up the facade for long. The hurt in her eyes was too much.

_"Lucy?" She gripped the blond's labcoat, fingers digging deep into the fabric. "I'm seeing th-things."_

_Lucy smiled and bent down to place a hand on the girl's head. "It's going to be alright, I promise."_

_"You said that yesterday and I don't feel any better." Jordan bit her lip. Saying she was scared was an understatement. Terrified was the word that would fit._

_"I'm doing everything I can, okay?" Lucy said gently. "You'll be feeling as healthy as a horse in no time."_

Tears stained Clay's jacket. Bah, he didn't really care anymore. All that mattered at the moment was the kid and how she was feeling. One of his hand rested on her back, rubbing in a circular motion, while the other held the back of her head. He tried to make her stop, he really did. Every method he knew wasn't helping. Comforting words, funny faces, causing himself pain. Jordan only seemed to produce more and more tears by the second. Clay feared that if he did nothing soon, he was literally going to drown in a river of tears.

"Luce didn't die for nothing." He spoke softly, as if holding a conversation with a toddler. "I know that you had some sort of...bond, I guess, with her. But hey, everyone dies for a reason. I died to help Desmond, you died to rid yourself of the pain and Luce died...'cause it was just her time. Listen, I dunno how to really help someone when they're in a emotional meltdown. I mean, I went through one myself and look at where I am. I'm kinda anti-social, y'know? Well, not anti-social but-"

Jordan laughed. Tears still rolled down her cheeks freely but she was sincerely laughing. Her pearly whites seemed to shine with happiness. Clay, after getting over a few seconds of bewilderment, smiled. A happy, caring smile.

_Smile, though your heart is breaking._

He wouldn't have been able to bear to see Jordan so depressed. It had been months since her heart had been torn into pieces by death. He didn't want her to be affected by it again. She too fragile, too weak to stand up to it. Clay was, in a sense, her shield. Sure, the kid was whiny and annoying with all of her complaining, but when it came to the serious things, Clay wanted to keep her from it. He tried to prevent her from hearing the news. It was almost impossible to stop it.

_When there are clouds in the sky, you'll get by._

Jordan wrapped her arms around Clay, embracing him a hug so strong and full of love. The man didn't waste a moment to return it. The both of them weren't used to being so close to someone, so attached. They never would have guessed their closest friend was so far from their age and personality. The clouds parted, revealing a bright sun generated by the software. With the heat hitting Jordan's back and Clay's cheek, the two parted from their embrace.

A friendly fist-bump and a smile from each. They were friends, close friends, and nothing was about to change that.

_It is a good life we lead.  
><em>_**The best.**__  
>May it never change.<br>__**And may it never change us.**_


	8. Sanctuary

**Hey guys! Sorry I've been gone so so long. I had some personal issues come up so here's a wonderful chapter written by my bestest friend on DeviantArt. She really helped me out with this one. Thanks for reading!**

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><p>Aquamarine frost battered her bones.<p>

Why did life have to be so cruel? Every bone and breath in her body weren't enough to decipher Fate's mysteries. It seemed as if no angels were on her side, constantly leaving her helpless. No different from a fawn, trapped in a hunter's vicious snare. Not only had Fate turned its back on her, but it had become a viciously cold whirlpool.

Even her fingers adopted a soft blue color. For some inexplicable reason, the Animus hotshots decided to play God. Tinkering with the machine's controls, they cast the Animus into another dimension of weather. As if the black, smouldering void of her life wasn't bleak enough. The Black Room was encased in frost, with no sign of sunshine in sight.

Then again, how much could she possibly expect? She was a soul detached from humanity. A broken corpse. Perhaps yearning for warmth was out of the ordinary. Those facts of life did nothing to change her ache for comfort, though.

Until the Animus Gods steered from their current path, the realm of ice would cradle her. And its arms, she did not love. She only held contempt for the wicked, lifeless arms that battered her psyche's remnants.

Fortunately, relief was in sight.

There was only one bright spot in her life, and he was commonly known as Subject 16. She bypassed that technical label, using his birth name as a means to convey warmth. She wasn't one to paint the world in shades of love, but her small works of affection spoke a thousand volumes. Clay was all she had, deep in the unfathomable. He was her only link to sunshine-something that had vanished from her life, far too long ago.

So perhaps it was time to take advantage of that sunshine. Beaming like a cat approaching a canary, Jordan came upon her friend's sleeping form. So you're not going to share, eh? she thought mischievously, approaching her desired target. Her eyes were on Clay's jacket. A warm, soothing treasure for the soul. She would have her way, come Hell or high water! The jacket would be HERS!

But not if Clay had anything to say about it.

He pretended to be asleep, snoring as he turned over. Gads, her attempt at thievery was thwarted! And he was probably awake, the cunning bastard. Jordan bit her bottom lip, face contorted by grief and frustration. She'd show him a thing or two later! "Fine then," she snarled, hands balled into fists.

"Keep your crummy jacket. I'll get along fine without it!"

Off she went, hands still balled into tight shows of fury. Her footsteps stopped once she reached the beach, though. The sanctuary she shared only with Clay. No one else, save for the Gods hanging over the Animus.

Its waters normally soothed her, but at that moment, pain shook her to the core. Assuming it was the deafening cold, Jordan wrapped her arms about her waist. It was all she could do, facing the Devil's frost alone. And there she stood, watching the world go by. Watching the waters with the look of an abandoned, hopeless widow.

Watching time go by, with a fading hope for sunshine.

But then, the most surprising thing happened. A familiar garment was draped over her shoulders, presented with a smile she knew and loved so well.

"There ya go. Thought I'd keep it all to myself, didn't 'cha?"

"Woulda killed ya if ya did, ya loony bin," the brunette chuckled, punching Clay in the ribs. He clutched his stomach and grimaced, as if she had actually plunged a knife through him. Then a smile graced his playful features, causing her to realize something.

_His smile's gonna keep me warmer than his dumb jacket._

Even though she didn't mean sharing it with him.

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><p>If you were to visit another time and place, you would come upon a sanctuary. One infested with lost hopes and memories, but-<p>

Inhabited by a pair of soulmates.

If you were to stumble upon that sanctuary's beach, you would find a young girl and young man sitting side by side, sharing a leather jacket. Smiling, as the waters struck their shores.

And uttering not a single syllable.

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><p><strong>I know I didn't write this but please, still drop reviews by! I would love to show my friends what you guys thought about her extraordinary writing! Thanks!~ UPDATE: I MADE AN ASK JORDAN BLOG! .COM! SHE'LL APPRECIATE IT IF YOU ASK HER QUESTIONS! <strong>


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